Integrity Commissioner

Mr. John Ewart of Ewart, O'Dwyer Barristers & Solicitors

The Town of Bancroft, through the County of Hastings, has appointed Mr. John Ewart of Ewart, O’Dwyer Barristers & Solicitors as the Integrity Commissioner for the municipality and authorizes him to conduct inquires upon complaint for rules governing ethical behaviour of members of Council and Local Boards as they pertain to the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act and Code of Conduct.

The Integrity Commissioner’s responsibilities include:

Conduct inquiries upon complaint for Municipal Conflict of Interest Act and Code of Conduct matters

Provide advice to members of Council and local boards regarding their obligations under the Code of Conduct and the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act

Provide educational information to the public, the municipality and members of Council and local boards about the Code of Conduct and Municipal Conflict of Interest Act

The duties and responsibilities of the Integrity Commissioner are further detailed in Section 223 of the Municipal Act, 2001. It is the responsibility of the Integrity Commissioner to report directly to the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Bancroft.

Complaint Filing Process

Any individual who identifies or witnesses behaviour or activity by a sitting Member of Council or a Local Board that they believe is in contravention of the Code of Conduct for Members of Council or the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act may file a formal complaint with the following conditions:

The complaint must set out reasonable and probable grounds for the allegations that the Member has contravened the Code of Conduct or the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act. A supporting sworn Affidavit setting out the evidence in support of the allegations must also be included.

The complaint shall be filed with the Clerk of the Town of Bancroft who shall forward the matter to the Integrity Commissioner for initial classification to determine if the matter is, on its face, a complaint with respect to non-compliance.